by Rebecca LeBoeuf Peter Grandbois is an author that does it all. From writing fiction, nonfiction, poetry and plays, Grandbois has two novels, one book of short stories, a memoir and a collection of three novellas published. His Etruscan Press novel, “Nahoonkara,” was a finalist in the 2011 Foreword Review Book of…

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Creative nonfiction writer and memoirist Jill Kandel traveled the world and now writes about those experiences. Kandel first submitted her book, “So Many Africas: Six Years in a Zambian Village,” to Autumn House Press‘ full manuscript competition. After winning the Creative Nonfiction Award in 2014 and being published a year…

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Syche Phillips’ short story, “Genesis,” was selected as the winner of SNHU’s 2015 Fall Fiction Short Story Competition. A writer of fiction, creative nonfiction and plays, Phillips is pursuing her online Master of Arts in English and Creative Writing with a concentration in Fiction with Southern New…

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Amy Irvine is an environmental nonfiction and memoir author. Her two books, “Trespass: Living at the Edge of the Promised Land” (2008) and “Making a Difference: Stories of How the Outdoor Industry and Individuals are Working to Preserve America’s Natural Places” (2001), have been praised in reviews by…

by Rebecca LeBoeuf Benjamin Nugent is the critically acclaimed author of “Good Kids” and “American Nerd.” His work has been widely published and is included in “The Unprofessionals: New American Writing from the Paris Review” (2015) and “Best American Short Stories 2014.” “Good Kids” (2013), described by many as a romantic comedy, has…

by Pamme Boutselis A journalist and adjunct professor of communication, Jacki Skole began her journalism career as part of an award-winning documentary production team at CNN. As a producer of specials and series for Animal Planet and HGTV, Skole has long had a love of animals. Perhaps it’s not too…

by Carol Smallwood Sheila Bender is the author of “Creative Writing DeMystified,” “A New Theology: Turning to Poetry in a Time of Grief,” a memoir, and “Behind Us the Way Grows Wider,” a poetry collection. She teaches online at WritingItReal.com, StoryCircleNetwork.org and WOW! Women On Writing. Tell us about your…

by Pamme Boutselis J.W. Ocker is the award-winning author of three nonfiction books, “The New England Grimpendium,” “The New York Grimpendium” and, most recently, “Poe-Land,” an Edgar Award-winning personal travelogue of his yearlong journey to monuments, preserved sites and other artifacts related to Edgar Allan Poe. The book includes interviews…

by Pamme Boutselis Joan C. Curtis manages a consulting business, Total Communications Coach, in which she leads communication and motivation seminars. She has a doctorate in adult education, Master of Arts in Journalism, and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. An award-winning author of four books (“Hire Smart and Keep…

Eckhard Gerdes is the editor of The Journal of Experimental Fiction, dedicated to the furthering of forefront fiction. He has published criticism in The Review of Contemporary Fiction and American Review of Books, and has a chapter in SUNY Press’s recent “Federman’s Fictions.” His fiction has appeared in Fiction International, Notre Dame Review, Hayden’s…

About Spotlight

The Spotlight features interviews with noted and new writers, from poets to novelists and screenwriters to young adult authors, along with some of our creative writing students and industry professionals, too.